


The Landslide

by Eluthrien



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: BadassLavellan, F/M, Fade Sex, Hurt/Comfort, action/adventure/smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-14 07:08:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4555389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eluthrien/pseuds/Eluthrien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Runaway Kinkmeme prompt.</p><p>Solas has been injured. In his weakened state he encounters several less-than-savory inhabitants of the fade. Lavellan carries him down a mountainside, and stirs hope in his heart.</p><p>Mature for fadesex/swearing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fenedhis

_Fenedhis. ___

__I seethed, nocking an arrow and letting it fly swiftly into the neck of a charging Venatori soldier. He fell with a gurgled grunt in a heap of leathers._ _

___One down. ____ _

____How many were there? I snapped my neck around the small clearing on the mountainside, counting as the cultists sprung from the undergrowth._ _ _ _

_____15...16...17… too many. ____ _ _ _

______“Solas!” I called into the fray._ _ _ _ _ _

______I saw him about 20 paces ahead of me, deftly dodging the swipes and slashes of Venatori steel. At my cry, the mage opened several small tears through the fade and catapulted himself though, taking up position behind me._ _ _ _ _ _

______“This. Isn’t. Good.” I released three arrows into the breastplate of a charging brute. The man fell at Solas’ feet._ _ _ _ _ _

_______Too close. ____ _ _ _ _ _

________The mage rekindled the pale blue barrier that encircled us, just as a volley of Venatori arrows prepared to penetrate it. Creators be thanked, they skittered to the side._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“We have to get back to camp!” I shouted breathlessly over my shoulder, as I dropped a Venatori marksmen further up the mountainside._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Despite those we managed to fell, more seemed to appear from around the cursed red rocks._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Agreed.” Solas grunted with effort as he launched a great fade-conjured boulder into a group of soldiers._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“If we can reposition ourselves, if we can reach that ledge,” he pointed with his staff in mid spell “we may be able to gain an advantage.” The mage raised a rune of pure fire in front of our barrier, licking and searing into the Red Templar who stepped into it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I’ll cover you.” I gritted my teeth._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Inquisitor - I,” Solas stuttered. “That’s not wise, I-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________I knew what he was suggesting, and I would not stand for it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Solas. Just Go!” I pushed him away, feeling the cool breeze of his barrier wash over and leave me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________I heard him run, but could not mistake the hesitation in his steps._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Snarling and stepping forward, I drew myself up like Cassandra or Blackwall might._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Hey you cunts!” I shouted, raising my fade-touched hand, allowing the flickering green light to be seen over the heads of the small army. “Who wants to bring home this trophy to your master?!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Those who had paused to watch Solas scramble up the cliff face, now turned their full attention to me. For a heartbeat I was pleased, watching my lover gain safer ground, but felt my blood chill as three Spellbinders emerged from the treeline. I could deal with one. Two maybe. But three? On top of the others?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Fuck.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________\------------_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________It had begun innocently enough. An hour or so before the pale, peachy early morning sunlight filtered through our camp, Solas and I had wandered away from the tents as we usually did._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________These purple, pre-dawn hours were reserved for our whispers. Solas shared his knowledge of ancient battles and tactics lost to the ages, I shared my accounts of our mission, our friends and what meager knowledge I had of my little world._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________We would leave the warmth of our tent and step out into the wilderness to the song of the day’s first birds, stopping to snip at patches of herbs or scrape the occasional metal from the grasp of the earth. And every so often, we would find hints of crude, crumbling ruins and he would delight in their history, sharing their birth and downfall with near child-like glee._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________It was intoxicating._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________As the first spindles of daylight broke through the trees on this particular morning, we had found ourselves a little further out than we had planned. In truth, this happened often, both of us entranced as we learned from, and about each other._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Perhaps we should start back for camp, Inquisitor.” Solas raised an eyebrow at me, noticing the sun’s position on the pink horizon. Cassandra would be stirring at any moment, and would be ready to move on; it was always best if we were ready as she was._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Putting the fresh cutting of Vandal Aria safe in my herb pouch, I nodded in agreement and slowly turned down the path. I was always hesitant to leave this cocoon, this minor respite in the face of a world turned on it’s head._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Suddenly, long lean arms snaked around my waist and pulled me into him, drawing out a soft cry of surprise. Before I could form words, he had set his mouth to mine and worked his full, warm lips across and down my neck, pressing his fingers into my hipbones._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I do love sharing these morning walks with you, Eleria.” he whispered into my collarbone, before pressing his lips to mine again. “For one so young, you know so much about the world.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Excuse me -” I chuckled into his open mouth, caressing the base of his neck. “I am not that much younger than you, _hedgemage _.” I used them shem insult teasingly, coaxing a snicker from the man.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Ah - yes.” He acquiesced, laying a few more featherlight kisses along my jaw._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I felt myself melting into his warmth, all thoughts of Cassandra and the day’s travels growing further from my mind. I let my head roll back, and allowed one soft moan to escape my lips._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Now, I wished I had stifled it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________In a heartbeat, I caught the tang of red lyrium on the dry, desert wind and could hear the echo of stones being overturned and crushed under heavy boots.  
Solas too could sense the change, and stilled. My eyes flew open to watch his, to gauge his reaction and plan my own._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The footsteps drew nearer, and a sickening awareness coiled like a spring within me, drawing up the hairs on my arms._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________We were no longer alone. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________And now we were fighting for our lives.  
\--------_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________One of the Venatori spellbinders opened their damned books and began to conjure._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Assuming Solas was out of their range and safely up the ledge at this point, I swiftly cloaked myself in shadow and disappeared from their sight. A few of the Red Templars with swords let out grunts of annoyance and began to fan out, flashing their weapons wildly in the air hoping to run me through._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Coming to rest in a crouch beside the flailing soldiers, I analyzed their forces while I decided where to focus the rift._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________Red Templars and Venatori together, this must have been a big operation. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________They were headed somewhere, based on the carts I could see trailing the pack. But that was knowledge for later, I had to save our skins first._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________I knew Solas would have had me focus on those nearest me, guaranteeing a clear path back to him on the ledge, but I was fairly certain I could outrun them. What I could not outrun, was the fire, boulders and arcing electricity from the Spellbinders._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Two more heartbeats, and I found the three casters had clustered in their confusion, robed arms gesturing manically at their books._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Perfect._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Uncloaking myself, I lifted my hand to the sky and felt that familiar, sticky rush of a foreign power coursing through my body. The fade shook and swirled before me, sending tendrils of green energy snaking through the shattered air, siphoning the life from those before me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Bodies crumpled and screams tore through the clearing as the cultists’ force fell to strength of my rift._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________I whispered a prayer of thanks to Mythal and spun about on my heels, sprinting across the rocky mountainside._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Once I made it to the ledge we would have cover, tactical advantage and hopefully a way to signal to our camp below, if they had not already noticed the newly formed rift. Arrows from the remaining Templars cut the air mere breaths from my body, but I dodged each attack with grace. A few puffs of flame extinguished themselves around me, but I barely felt the heat. Solas’ barrier was once again embalming me in cool blue light and I smiled up at him on his perch, acknowledging the briefest of nods he offered me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Just a few more paces until I could begin to climb to join him in the assault from above._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________I glanced back over my shoulder, to see a much diminished Venatori and Templar force giving chase._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________We had this. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________And just as the thought materialized, I saw Solas’s face above me turn ashen. He stuttered in his spellcaster’s dance and cried out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“No! Inquisitor, run!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________I snapped my neck around to see the two remaining Venatori spellbinders had conjured some sort of fade-boulder barrage. But these were not from the fade. These monstrous boulders had been lifted from the very ground they had sat upon for centuries and were now hurtling through the air to the rocky ledge that Solas stood upon._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Solas -” I screamed up at him. “JUMP-” but it was too late. The boulders smashed into the ledge where he stood in sickening succession. Heavy split rock, shards of red granite and glittering dust rained down around me as a horrid rumbling began to build beneath my feet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________All thought of our pursuers was lost._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Banal Nadas

“Solas!” the cry that left my throat was raw and animal, I didn’t even recognize it. Ignoring the shifting rocks, I tried to scale what was left of the red ledge. 

The rumbling increased until boulders from higher up the mountain began to crash around me, creating rivers of churning, razor-sharp rocks that threatened to carry me away with their force. 

“SOLAS!” I screamed again, barely noticeable above the cacophony of shattering stone. Rolling with the waves of earth, I fought to climb until the leather was flayed from my gloves and my knees were raw and dripping.

Dodging falling boulders and chunks of earth with far less grace than the arrows previously, I craned my neck around, willing myself to catch a glimpse of wolf pelt, or the sheen of his summerstone staff. 

Nothing but falling rock and dead and dying Venatori and Templars.

The earth shook violently, sending me sprawling into the maelstrom of cascading rocks below and for a moment I could do nothing but ride that awful, biting tide. 

Suddenly, from behind a tumbling boulder I caught a few glimpses of a familiar, well-worn backpack.

With frightening urgency, I tore myself from the grip of the earth and lunged towards him.

“Solas!” I cried out again, dirt and dust burning into my lungs, stinging my eyes. His body was being carried with the landslide and he was offering no resistance.

_No.  
No.  
No. ___

__I stumbled over falling and fallen rocks and threw my body over the crumpled mage, shielding him from the onslaught of tumbling stones._ _

__His eyes were shut, face bruised and blackened. A sticky purple patch of blood was seeping through his tunic, right above his belly. He had a pulse, but a slow one. My hands scurried across his chest, his arms and quickly down his legs. Nothing obviously broken, but we had to get off the mountain and I had to get the bleeding under control. _Fast. _____

____“Solas, Solas can you hear me?” I shouted over the din of the rocks tumbling past. “Vhenan, please- wake up, we’ve got to get down the mountain.”_ _ _ _

____To my delight, he moaned and lifted a battered hand in my direction._ _ _ _

____To my horror, he choked out in bloody staccato, “Leave me.”_ _ _ _

____Stunned, all I could do was shake my head for one agonizing moment._ _ _ _

____“No. Not ever.”_ _ _ _

____With a trembling hand, I unclipped the last of our health potions from my belt and lifted the mouth to his blue lips._ _ _ _

____“Drink.” I commanded, praying that one potion would be enough to hold him until we got back to camp._ _ _ _

_____But it was so much blood... ____ _ _ _

______Grunting that horrid thought away, I hefted his limp body over my shoulder and glanced down the mountainside._ _ _ _ _ _

______Or rather, what was left of it._ _ _ _ _ _

______Our escape to the camp was now effectively cut off, buried under displaced shards of granite and red stone. The only option was to take shelter down the other face of the mountain, somewhere out of this cursed landslide._ _ _ _ _ _

______\-----_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Dirth Ma, Harellan.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______The memory caused a shudder to wrack his body._ _ _ _ _ _

______Was it a memory? Solas tried to turn his head, but was met with a wave of vertigo and a jolt of pain that buried itself in his bones._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Dirth Eleria, Harellan.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______The Nightmare called to him again, sinister timbre echoing across the blighted depths of remembrance._ _ _ _ _ _

______Solas blinked hard, realizing this was not conjured from some memory of their fall at Adamant. This was real._ _ _ _ _ _

______In a sense._ _ _ _ _ _

______“How _dare you. _” he seethed, forcing his eyes to focus through the thrumming in his head. “How dare you come to me here. You have no hold over me.”___ _ _ _ _ _

________He knew he must be gravely injured to attract the gaze of the Nightmare. None, not even Fear itself would challenge him in the fade otherwise._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“What will you do, Solas, when she dies?” The Nightmare spat out his taken name like poison, echoing through the pulsing green miasma._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Leave me.” the man grit his teeth. If he could just focus..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“When she dies because of you?” The creature was growing close, a malice slinking around Solas’ aching body, beckoning to him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Even now she is bleeding. She is dying, for you, old friend.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Be gone.” Solas’ could only manage a whisper, his mind awash in scenes of her death fed by the Nightmare._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He saw her stripped naked on a gray battlefield, Corypheus piercing the supple, pale skin above her heart with a glowing red sword, laughing as he drank in her death._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Then she was strung above the Chantry in Val Royeux, human and elf alike hurling rocks at the dead and defiled body of this hated False Prophet of Andraste._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________In another blur, her body lie crushed beneath a mountain of red stone, the life slowly leaving her gray eyes as she gazed at Solas with contempt._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“It will come to pass someday. You know this.” Solas could feel the Nightmare growing fat with his fear, power sparking and swirling around him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Banal Nadas.” he grunted and thrust himself from the ichor that was the Nightmare’s realm._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________\-----_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Fighting against my body and against the still shifting earth I struggled to carry Solas down the sliding rocks. A slight stumble and I crashed to my knees, splitting the raw skin near to the bone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________A cry left my throat, curses and prayers rolled into a single pitiful sound._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, awareness coursed back into Solas’ body._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Vhenan,” Solas hissed out from bloody lips as I readjusted his body across my shoulders. “You must leave me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I will not.” I replied a little harsher than I had planned._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You must…” his voice broke in a soft sob that wrenched my heart._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Shh Solas -” I huffed as I dodged a tumbling stone “I can carry you. We’ll be fine.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Steadying myself, I put one aching foot in front of the other and continued our descent. As I trudged downward with painful slowness, I could feel the resistance leaving Solas’s body. He was growing limper, colder._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________As if an answer to a prayer, I spied a large flat piece of slate, freshly uncovered, but still mostly rooted deep within the mountain. Dragging myself and the broken mage under the overhang of the rock, I prayed it would hold out a little longer._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The rocks rushed down on either side of our refuge, building a fresh cave around us. I would dig out the entrance to keep our refuge from turning into a tomb, but for now, we were safe._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________\--------_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“My friend.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The voice was the same, grainy though even pitched, and fell gently on his heart. But there was a new edge, a different steel to the word, and he felt his stomach drop._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“No.” Solas groaned. “Not her.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“What do you mean, Fen’Harel?” The demon wearing Mythal’s face embraced the broken man as he fell in front of him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I can keep her safe, my friend. I can protect your little Lavellan.” she whispered the honeyed-words into his ear and he shuddered with revulsion. Too weak to step away, to move, to banish the demon he spat onto her shoulder instead._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You can’t.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Was this the end? Where was Eleria? Was she dying as well? ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“But I can, old friend. Give yourself to me, together we can keep your little pet from harm.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“No.” he sputtered, fumbling for a shred of strength. “No one can keep her from what is to come. Least of all - _YOU. _” He pushed back, sending himself sprawling backwards.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He felt a ripple in the fade and turned back to see the demon had melted into the shape of Eleria, dressed as an empress of Arlathan and gazing at the broken mage of the floor with pity._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“My poor Solas.” her voice was low, and pulsed with heat._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“No. No, you are not her.” He grunted and tried to get to his feet, but collapsed back to the emerald tile floor. The pattern was painfully familiar. His temple._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You can have me, here, Solas. All of me.” From his viewpoint on the cold polished emerald, he saw the purple silk that had adorned her body, was now in a pool around her feet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“On your own thone. Just how you love to take your women.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Go… away.” he cried through straining lips. Everything hurt, and not even the cool touch of the tile could center the mage. The haze of his temple spun around him, flickering and bursting with light, and flashes of bitter memory. The fall of Arlathan, vallaslin marred faces screaming at the sky, blood pouring into his temple until he was floating, drowning._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The nightmare filled his ears.  
“You will not succeed.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Mythal leaned in, taking his chin in her fingers.  
“What you did can never be undone.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________And Eleria bent to his lips, engulfing him with hers, letting the swirling blood fill his mouth and his lungs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I will die.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I butchered the elvish. HUUUUGE thanks to the Project Elvhen Guide, though I'm pretty sure I still managed to destroy the beautiful language.


	3. Hope

“No!” Hands grappled with mine. Blood spluttered from his lips, landing in little droplets on my face as I hastily undid his robes.

“Shhh, vhenan. It’s ok - you’re with me. -” 

“I cannot keep you safe.” he whispered, as his eyes began to flutter open, only to fall shut once again.

I didn’t know how to comfort him, in the depths of such a fevered dream as his was, but I knew had to keep him awake. I shuddered to think what fade-monstrosity could undo him so.

“Solas,” I hissed between teeth clenched with effort. “Solas, tell me about the last time you were in the fade.” Anything to keep the man aware, I couldn’t let him sleep, not with this much blood loss.

He moaned a bit, I couldn’t tell if it was answer.

“Vhenan.” I pled. “You must stay awake. Tell me of a spirit,” I wracked my brain for anything I could remember from our discussions. “Tell me about hope, have you ever met a spirit of Hope?”

“Hope?” he wheezed with a tinge of humor and I rejoiced. “Hope rarely makes itself known in the fade, Eleria. “ he coughed, then added slowly, “There is not much in this world to attract it.”

“And why do you think that is?” I prodded him as he would usually prod me. 

I was recalling a fervored discussion we had shared in the library not a fortnight ago. He argued that the rarer spirits, Hope, Love, and Wisdom had too little to mirror from this waking world and thus, were difficult to find if not absent from the fade entirely.

I, _of course, _disagreed.__

__“There is love, there is wisdom, and there will always be hope if you seek it.” I had playfully chided him. “Perhaps you aren’t looking hard enough?”_ _

__“I have dedicated lifetimes to searching the fade, Inquisitor.” he had replied, as if I was a child struggling to grasp Antivan poetry._ _

__“This world does not give the spirits anything to feed from. They are too easily twisted. It is barren, save despair, envy, hunger… pride.” He had turned from me in frustration then and moved across the room. “You know what happens to them.”_ _

__“Solas,” I began tentatively, crossing the library making up for the distance he’d gained._ _

__

__How long had he lived in the wilderness to not understand? How many clans and villages turned his wisdom away, branding him a heretic, or worse?_ _

__

__“Those spirits must exist.” I whispered, gazing up at him and breathing in his sadness. “If they don’t, then what are we fighting for? If our world is as barren as you say, do we even deserve to win?”_ _

__He had spent a few moments in thought, eyes closed before me. When he had opened them, their stormy depths burned with a grim purpose that stirred the core of my being._ _

__

__I prayed now for any thread of that man to return to the broken mage beneath me._ _

__

__Suddenly the mage seized in reply._ _

__“This world -” he hissed into the darkness, flecks of blood landing on his chin. “It’s all wrong…”_ _

__I cradled his head in my arms as my other hand undid the clasps around his torn robe._ _

__“Vhenan. This is all my fault. I’m,” he fought for breath. “I’m so sorry.”_ _

__Delirious. _This was not good. _____

____“Oh Solas, “ my voice softened and I choked back a small sob. “There is nothing to apologize for. Just stay with me here. Promise me.”_ _ _ _

____“Ma nuvenin..” and he went silent, whatever strength he had left was run it’s course._ _ _ _

____With sticky, bloodied fingers I wrenched open Solas’ tunic in a frenzied attempt to find the bleeding._ _ _ _

____A deep, purple-black gash greeted me, running the length of his midsection and I fought the need to retch._ _ _ _

_____Elfroot. _I needed to find elfroot. I didn’t have any in my herbal pouch, but perhaps he did? I fished around his shredded robes until my fingers slid over a battered, but thank-the-creators intact leather pouch.__ _ _ _ _

______Opening it frantically, I saw it was stuffed with not just elfroot, but royal elfroot cuttings as well._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Mythal’s Mercy.” Breathing out triumphantly I gathered what I could in my shaking hands. Crushing each leaf, I gently placed the bruised herbs inside his torn skin. Their pungent, sharp odor rose up and stung my nose, bringing tears to my eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______I had no bandages, but I had underclothes._ _ _ _ _ _

______Stripping my destroyed leathers off, I found my tunic to be sweaty, but mostly intact. With shaking fingers I wrenched it from my body and began tearing it into strips._ _ _ _ _ _

______With the cotton strips knotted and tied, I gently began to wrap the man’s midsection._ _ _ _ _ _

______The makeshift bandage would keep the herbs in place as they worked at repairing his wounds, but I could only hope and pray that he hadn’t lost too much blood; that he would awaken in time._ _ _ _ _ _

______Solas shifted in the dusty darkness of the cave, eyelids crushed shut and face contorting in pain._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I do not deserve you.” he whispered to whatever ghost haunted him now._ _ _ _ _ _

______With a heavy sigh, I sat back against the warm rock and allowed a few hot tears to slip down my face._ _ _ _ _ _

______Growing up sleeping in the aravels, or under the stars, I had become quite adept at silencing my tears. The clan would not see my weakness, and I would not disturb the mage as he slept, however unfit his slumber may be._ _ _ _ _ _

______Slowing the silent hiccups that had erupted, I belatedly realized that the angry earth had grown still. The thunder of the mountain had ceased, entombing those who could not escape her wrath for the next age._ _ _ _ _ _

______And it had nearly been us._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Turning to the prone mage, I kissed him swiftly on the mouth, letting my hand linger a second longer on his chest._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Sleep, ma sa’lath. Journey deep into the fade and heal.” I whispered into neck, breathing in the scent of blood, dust and healing herbs._ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _

______“My friend!” A slight woman called, signalling him with a hearty wave and a bright smile._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It is good of you to come. Sit with me awhile.” she gestured to the fallen log, covered in rich soft moss and delicate pink blossoms._ _ _ _ _ _

______The man nodded respectfully and walked towards the log, sparing a cautious look around the field._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You are ill, Fen’Harel?” Concern was written across her glowing emerald features, eyes probing his flickering visage._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It would seem so.” he replied, though aware of his growing strength, and less feeble attempt at speaking. He could remember green haze, tumbling stones, bloody knees, dust clogging his lungs…-_ _ _ _ _ _

______She ran one brilliant viridian hand down his side, lingering just above his midsection._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I see.” she murmured under her breath. “She has carried you, my friend.” she smiled with affection. “As she carries all.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Solas found himself smiling._ _ _ _ _ _

______He wanted to ask Wisdom more of his Inquisitor, but lifetimes spent with the spirit taught him that she would rarely endure questions. Better to listen and let the knowledge wash over him like a gentle rain instead._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I have someone I would like you to meet.” she beamed with an ethereal warmth, causing the blossoms around them to sway and dance with joy._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Oh - by all means.” he nodded respectfully in anticipation, trying to ignore a tugging of something._ _ _ _ _ _

_______A pull around his belly… _____ _ _ _ _

________“Well come out dear girl!” she spoke quietly and quickly, like she was afraid for the wind to catch her words._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________A small elvhen child appeared a few lengths away, glowing with the most peaceful, most beautiful pale yellow aura Solas had ever seen, and he was speechless._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________A few silent seconds passed as he regarded the spirit-child in front of him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Surely…” he trailed off in thought. “It cannot be?” Mesmerized with her presence he felt himself lifted, joyus. Strangely hopeful, and he knew it to be true._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“ _Hope _, my friend.” Wisdom gestured for the child to join them on the log.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The little girl approached him timidly, regarding him with intent curiosity, some secret thought sparkling behind her clear, glassy eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I apologize, dear one.” Solas smiled at the small spirit, every movement of his body stilled, overcome with an upwelling of emotion he had not felt in centuries._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“It has been many, many long ages since I have spoken with one of your kind.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh, but I know all about you.” The child-spirit giggled with an endearing girlish-ness and quickly sat between Wisdom and Pride on the mossy log, kicking her little feet out over the pink, dancing blossoms._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Hope is young,” Wisdom spoke in lilting cadence. “But she is strong.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________And so the three ancients, old and reborn sat in silence for a few precious moments._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“How is it that now, of all times, she comes to be?” Solas could no longer hold his tongue._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You already know the answer to that.” Wisdom smiled at the man, the skin around her eyes creasing in well-worn lines._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Eleria…” the man breathed out, overcome with emotion and yet incapable of saying more._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“She has brought about many Things,” the viridian woman paused, gazing at the child, “Hope is one of those Things.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I -” he stuttered, trying to ignore the growing sharpness around him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The stinging and pulling… ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I, thank you, my friend.” the mage stood uneasily, reeling with the weight of this knowledge and feeling that familiar ripping, the tearing of his being from the fade._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________In his struggle, he nodded at the little elvhen girl with tender reverence._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I look forward to speaking with you again soon, dear one.” he smiled warmly at the little spirit as his form began to shimmer. With a crack of energy, he found himself wrenched from that paradise and thrown into the frigidness of a world gone wrong._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________But there was hope._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	4. Belannaris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elvhen Translations:  
> My fumbling attempt at using the WONDEFUL of Project Elvhen :: http://archiveofourown.org/works/3719848/chapters/8237548
> 
> Belannaris / Bellanaris = eternity

“There you are.” I whispered in relief as Solas’ bruised eyelids slowly cracked open. His storm-blue eyes darted around the room in panic, then settled on mine.

“It’s alright, vhenan.” I soothed, letting my hand press against his face. 

_No fever, no signs of infection. ___

__“You’re safe. And healing rather nicely.” I added as I tenderly patted the bandaging around his middle._ _

__“You,” he croaked with cracked lips, snatching my hand off his chest and holding it in his own with alarming strength._ _

__Momentarily caught off guard, I recoiled at his sudden surge of power._ _

__“A goddess.” his voice cracked, betraying the severity of the wounds, but his eyes were glowing with determination. And, _desire _? “A goddess of hope. A Beacon for the People, for Thedas...”___ _

____“Oh Solas, you’ve had a long night…”_ _ _ _

____“I am not delirious, Eleria.” He interrupted my coddling, each word was perfectly punctuated to underline the statement. With long, shaky fingers he drew my hand into his and guided me down with him atop his shredded robes._ _ _ _

____“I’m afraid I was wrong. About many, many things...” his face broke in a mix of joy and seemingly ancient grief, but his voice was urgent. Pleading._ _ _ _

____“You have stirred things to life. Things lost and forgotten, unaccounted for.” And then he said again, something he had told me once before - though seemed like lifetimes ago._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____“You’ve changed everything.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____“Vhenan, I -” he silenced my reply with one finger lightly pressed onto my lips._ _ _ _

____“Let me finish.” he chuckled weakly, drawing me closer to him. “In all my journeys, for all the knowledge and friends I’ve gained in the fade, I’ve never known another spirit like yours.”_ _ _ _

____I held my tongue._ _ _ _

____“Just by your being, your very presence, Eleria, this world’s course has been altered. You’ve given us hope.” A small, thin tear ran slowly down his upturned cheek and my heart shattered again._ _ _ _

____“I will be forever grateful.” Solas exhaled like he had set down a great weight, and released his hold on me ever so slightly._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____No words sprang to my lips, replies died in my throat. All I could do was shift myself upwards and gingerly claim his mouth with my own. Tenderly, careful of his cuts and scrapes I let my lips try to say what my words could not._ _ _ _

_____Hope was all I had. ____ _ _ _

______Mindful of the bandages I wrapped my arms around him and breathed in his scent, his aliveness and let my eyes close._ _ _ _ _ _

_________________ _ _ _ _ _

______The sun had fallen by the time I had awoken, still aching but considerably less so. In addition to lighting a small fire at the mouth of our newly-formed little cave , I had a sneaking suspicion Solas might have cast a few healing spells in my general direction. I turned to see him sitting up against a smooth red rock, gazing out into the night._ _ _ _ _ _

______“There _you _are.” he rolled onto his side and ran his free hand through my dusty, tangled hair.___ _ _ _ _ _

________“Mmm…” I mumbled into the cool air, pushing myself gently against him. Warm and content, despite our rocky bed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Fire’s nice, thank you Solas.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I thought you might need a bit of warmth vhenan, seeing as most of your clothing has been - repurposed.” he smiled softly, patting the swatches of my tunic that now wrapped his body._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Mmm” I mumbled into his bare chest, mouth still heavy with exhaustion and sleep. “Was a good cause.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Solas’ laughter was low and warm as he drew me into his warmth. “Ma serannas.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________I allowed myself a few moments to soak in his scent and the delicious feel of his heart beating against mine before I pushed myself upright._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________As if he could read my mind, Solas answered my next question._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Cassandra is on her way.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“What?” I rubbed the fatigue from my eyes, “How do they know where we are?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“They don’t. Not yet anyway, but they are close.” He answered simply, stretching like an animal. Tilting his head towards the mouth of our hide out, I could just barely discern the orange glow of torches searching the desert below._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Why didn’t you wake me?” I stared at him incredulously._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I thought you could use a few more moments peace.” he replied with ease. “Once we are found, you are unlikely to receive such.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________I couldn’t deny him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________I moved to gather our things, but warm hands swiftly stilled me, and guided me gently back down into his embrace._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Like I said,” his voice was low and lined with heat and he nuzzled into the exposed wrappings that bound my breasts. “A few more moments’ peace.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Solas,”My eyes widened and a blush crept over my face, realizing what he was suggesting. “You’re injured, and stuffed like a roast pig with healing herbs. You should be resting until Cassandra and the whole of the Inquisition arrives. ”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He chuckled, smoothing my hair with his hand. “Lie here with me, vhenan. Let us rest a moment longer, together.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Solas tilted his head and captured my mouth in a long, slow kiss, his practiced lips working around mine in deliberate, delicate featherlight touches._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________I shivered in the flickering orange firelight as his hand began to roam down my side, lingering on my soft parts and drawing up gooseflesh._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Squeezing my eyes shut, drinking in the feel of his warm wet lips on mine, his tongue petitioning for entrance into my mouth, I begged the creators._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Would that time stop, Corypheus be forgotten and the world outside our rocky shelter forget the apostate and elven prophet forever. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I would stay here in his embrace for an eternity._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________With that thought, I noticed the dry scent of the little cave had melted away. I couldn’t remember the feel of the ground, or the sharp stones that jutted into my flesh. We were wrapped in a sheet of pale, purple twilight, tinged with a pleasant buzz of electricity. I breathed him in, aware of a subtle shift in our posture and a growing warmth pulsing within and without._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Solas-” I finally broke the kiss to open my eyes. “We’re in the -”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Yes.” he whispered, a subtle smirk playing at his lips as he encircled me with his strong, fully healed arms._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Wisps of glowing blue danced through our embrace, landing softly on our shoulders and kissing our noses with their ambient, curious energy. We stood under our blanket of velvet dusk, the air heavy with jasmine and lavender._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Whatever feeble protests I was prepared to give died on my lips and I melted into him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________One of his hands tangled in my hair; pulling so ever so sweetly, baring my neck to his roaming teeth. The other traveled down to my stomach and settled there with a light pressure, centering me to his touch._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Ar lath ma, Solas” I whispered into the inky twilight, reveling in the way he gripped me tighter._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Ar lath ma, belanaris.” he returned, eyes shifting to mine._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Belanaris.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________As the last syllable of the word-oath left my lips, he crushed himself against me. Restraint frayed and gone, caution an afterthought._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He fell backwards dragging me with him, and we landed softly on a bed of greenery, silky leaves cushioning our fall and spicing the air as they bruised under our weight._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________We were a tangle of limbs, wrapping each other up and burying ourselves in the scent and feel of one another. His hands were needy, grabbing and pulling at the silk dress that covered my body. My hands were equally impatient, pushing the cotton robes from his shoulders, baring his chest to me. This was the fade after all, no buckles or clasps to deal with. Only thoughts of fabrics obscuring our wanting flesh._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The trappings flung to the side, Solas rolled me onto my back and covered me with his body. Warmth radiated from his skin, laced with the heady buzz of the fade and I ached for him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Please, vhenan.” I hissed, pushing myself into his hands. He cocked his head to the side, that same subtle smirk gracing his mouth._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“What do you wish?” he taunted as he positioned himself above me_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You.” I seethed. “Anything. Just you. Sathan...”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He smiled, laughing softly into the night._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Ma nuvenin.” his eyes sparkled with a roguish deviousness as he dipped his head downward. Downward to -_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh!” I snapped my head up as his tongue danced on my stomach._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Lie back, my heart.” his voice rumbled over my belly, fingertips pressing into the flesh around my thighs as he parted my legs. “I am going to taste you.” He stated it simply, like I was one of the frilly little cakes he loved so much and I moaned at the thought. And again louder when he brought his blazing hot mouth to my center._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He laid several soft kisses on my skin, some landing on my thighs, some on my folds. His tongue lapped at the heated flesh, tasting and testing as he explored. Settling himself in between my legs, he laid one lean arm across my middle and snaked the other up underneath me, angling my bottom upwards to meet his face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“There is no one to overhear us vhenan.” he growled into my thigh. “I want to hear you come undone for me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I knew things were easier for him in the fade, but I was not prepared for this Solas. His grin rogue-ish, dripping with confidence. And I trembled with delight._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Ma nuvenin- oh!.” I answered, cut off by his tongue pressing down onto me, sparking all the nerves in my body to life. He licked me up and down, coaxing me to rub against his face with his hands._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh gods, Solas…” I whispered into the blackness as his tongue lingered on a most sensitive spot._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Louder.” he growled into me, nipping at the folds of skin before setting his tongue back to it’s work. White hot bolts of pleasure tore through me and I screamed for him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Shrieking into the purple haze, I drunkenly grasped at the foliage around me, anything to anchor myself there; to combat my body lifting off the ground as his tongue lapped and swirled and sent me into oblivion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Ma sa’lath…” I lifted a hand to the back of his smooth head and pushed myself into him, feeling myself contract and coil._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Good, vhenan.” he whispered, positioning one hand on my thigh and pressing down, spreading my legs further. He lifted his hand from my bottom and rubbed one long finger against my opening in lazy circles. I seized around him, only to be pushed back into the soft green earth by his considerable strength._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Then, ever so gently, maddeningly reverently he pushed his finger into my depths._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I shrieked again out into the fade. His name tumbled from my lips as he added another a finger and began to draw them in and out, filling and spreading me before him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Solas, I need you -” I protested, even as I ground myself into him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Patience.” he laughed back into my flesh._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Now was not the time for patience. I was buzzing with want, with joy, with a hunger that threatened to overtake me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________So I let it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________In one swift motion, I removed myself from his grasp and rolled the man onto his back. Before he could object, I lowered myself to his mouth and took his in a feral snap of my jaws, suckling and biting his lip. My tongue probed deeply, drawing out his protests and smothering them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He growled back into my mouth, the deep and wild sound filling my chest as hands found my hips and dragged me on top of his slick cock._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________In a sudden intake of breath, he slammed his hardness up into me. My mouth formed horrid syllables, lewd ancient curses, but I could give sound to nothing. All I could do in that moment was force my hips to accept him, to push down and let him push up into me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I had been with other elves, with humans on occasion, but no one took me the way Solas took me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I curled downwards into him, breathing into his ear as he gripped my backside, driving himself deeper into me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Eleria….” he whispered, palming my breast._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Hearing my name on his sweet, full lips caused a shudder to tear through me as I ground deeper onto him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Say it again.” I managed to squeak out breathlessly. I needed to hear my name on his lips as surely as I felt his cock inside me. To remind myself that in this moment we were nothing but alive and thrusting into each other in the fade, in these gods-forsaken wastes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Apostate, Elf, Inquisitor...of all the things we were, at this moment we were only this; pulsing, heated pink flesh, tearing mouths and straining muscles. And deliciously alive._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________With a surprising force, he gripped the back of my head and pulled my ear to his mouth. His hand fisted in my wild hair, lips ghosted across the tip of my ear, calling up another shudder to wrack my writhing body._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Eleria.” he whispered darkly with heady fullness as he slammed himself into me. My name grew in strength as it tumbled from his mouth and he pulled me in tighter, until I was nearly immobile and at the mercy of his thrusts._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh creators - Solas!” I shouted as I collapsed into the crook of his neck, unable to keep up with his punishing pace._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Come around me vhenan.” He grunted into my ear, releasing his hold on my upper body. “Let me feel you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________It would seem we both needed the same thing, the same reassurance._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Arching my back above him, I began to move in the sweet purple twilight. My hips ground out a slow circle on his length and his head fell back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Setting my hands on either side of his body, I began to drag myself up and down, angling my hips in that way that lit my nerves on fire. Moving with my breath, I savored, teased, and watched as Solas grew stiff beneath me until I could bear it no longer._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Solas - I” I grunted as my pace quickened. His long, lean hands flew to my sides and aided my hips with their motion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Yes.” he hissed, his face contorted with concentration. “Come for me, vhenan.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Perhaps it was the fade, or maybe a combination of exhaustion and emotion, but this orgasm tore through me as none ever had. The anchor snapped to life and shot bolts of green energy out into the beyond, my head fell back and I lost all sense of my body.  
Enveloped in raining sparks and arcing white light I cried, I screamed and I rode Solas, taking the entirety of his length up into me with the convulsions of my muscles._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I could feel him everywhere, existing in every part of my body as I ground down against him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I broke apart, aware of his distant voice shouting in ancient elvhen and screaming out my name to the purple fade._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________No longer able to hold myself up, I crumpled into him just as I felt him release inside of me with a shout. Fingers wound through my hair and he brought my mouth to his, teeth and lips crashing together as he pumped into me. Rolling my hips to the beat of his of release, I drew out his orgasm, satisfied I had taken him all when he stopped shuddering beneath me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Wordless, we lay there on the dark green leaves for what seemed like hours. Catching our breath, regaining knowledge of our limbs and staring into each other._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Vhenan.” He whispered, finally breaking the silence, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “We must awaken.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________I knew it to be true, but I still felt cheated. Slowly I lifted myself from his body, to feel a warm trickle trace down my leg._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You need not fear a child, my heart.” Solas added as he rose from the bed of foliage. “Such things are not possible in the fade.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I see.” I was horrified to find a small piece of me disappointed. I was the Inquisitor, the Herald, this was no life for a child, even if one could be conjured from a tryst in the fade._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________And yet… ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You will make an excellent mother someday, Eleria.” he gently took my hand, jarring me from my thoughts. Apparently my face was just as readable in the fade as it was in waking life._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________It was a wonder I ever survived the Winter Palace._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“For now, my heart, Cassandra awaits.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Thank the Maker!” Cassandra cried out as she charged into the cave, startling me from my languid reverie. The cold flush of air at my side told me Solas had already awoken._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“What happened? Are you hurt? What of the Venatori?” A million questions spilled from her worried face, and I had to chuckle at Solas’s earlier assessment. ”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________No rest indeed it would seem._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I’m fine Cassandra,” I forced my legs underneath me, and staggered towards the warrior, noticing the deep indigo circles under her eyes. With a twang of guilt, I realized they must have been searching all night._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Just a little bruised, that’s all.” I clasped her muscled forearm in mine and nodded my thanks as stoically as I could manage._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Maker’s Mercy you’re safe. We thought you lost, Inquisitor.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“We nearly were.” my voice cracked and I turned from her searching gaze. I would not let the soldiers of the Inquisition behind her see my resolve falter._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I set my eyes to the mage, now sitting gingerly on his knees by the fire. There was minimal bleeding evident through what would have been the fourth layer of tunic-bandage and I was pleased._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Solas however, has been injured. We will need to get him back to Skyhold. The Venatori and Templars are gone.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Cassandra’s deep mahogany eye’s widened._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Venatori _and _Templars?”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“It would seem so. They had a large force headed north.” I breathed out, trying to recall the previous morning and I let the mask of Inquisitor slip back over my features. Strength, determination lied for my frailty and fear._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“At least 40 to 50 strong. Knights, spellbinders, zealots… you name it. Carts and supplies as well. We will need to send Leliana’s people to look into this first.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________I paused, lingering on the eyes of the soldiers behind her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Whatever it this is, it’s big.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“40, to 50? How did you survive?” the seeker prodded._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“The landslide.” Solas answered grimly.His skin was still dull and gray, and glittered in the firelight with a shimmer of sweat._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I see.” she shook her head slowly, taking in all the new information._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“And, your clothes?” she gestured at my disheveled state._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Holding his insides in.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Cassandra’s nose crinkled and she turned away in disgust, and I couldn’t help but delight in hearing a little snicker from the mage._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Turning back to us, her eyes narrowed with the weight of more questions on her tongue, but it seemed as though these answers would suffice for now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Can you ride, Solas?” Cassandra’s voice grew softer, surveying his grave injuries. “Should I send for the carriage?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I assure you Seeker,” he moved to stand, albeit shakily. “I will survive the ride back to Skyhold.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Then let us depart.” Cassandra nodded to the Inquisition soldiers to ready the mounts._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I am so grateful to find you alive, friend.” she called over her shoulder to me as she exited the cave._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“As am I.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________I offered my arm to the mage who took it begrudgingly, and together we abandoned our little hole, stepping into the cold desert air._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________I turned around to see the ruined mountain, and felt my blood chill at the sight of this new landscape._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Where we had stood only the morning previous, was now a black gaping maw of freshly hewn stone, glistening threateningly in the moonlight. The earth had swallowed the mountain whole and dispersed it across the desert below. I forced a shudder down, painfully aware of yet again, how close we had come to our deaths._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Solas squeezed my arm, noticing the direction on my gaze._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“This will not be the last time we face such odds, Inquisitor.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I know.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I will be here for you when we do.” he squeezed my arm again, though I couldn’t tell if it was at his words, or to keep himself upright as we descended._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Belanaris.” I replied._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A shadow passed over his eyes; a longing or discomfort, I couldn't tell. Struck by the sudden chill in the space between us I instantly regretted using _that_ word.  
But one heartbeat later, the shadow was gone.

______________“Belannaris.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ He replied. 

We continued down towards to the horses in a weary silence, stopping to help Solas navigate some of the more treacherous paths. He was correct; I knew that our journey towards Corypheus would grow more perilous by the day. 

As we grew stronger, our foe would grow more reckless. 

And what could we do against such chaos in the end, when he rose up to claim what I had stolen?

I wasn't sure, but I had hope. If it was enough Solas, it was enough for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
